o the wild i
“
t’s like that scene in Jurassic Park, when the kids first see the dinosaurs,” murmurs my partner, “only with elephants”. He’s not wrong.
Mere feet away from our motionless Jeep is the magical sight of said majestic beasts in Udawalawe National Park. The park is one of 12 across Sri Lanka, with leopards, crocodiles and hundreds of bird species to be found in them. Wildlife is just one draw for visitors to this gorgeous island nation: there are also verdant tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya; hiking trails on the central Horton Plains; train journeys across Instagram-favourites such as Ella’s Nine Arch Bridge; the spectacular east and south coast beaches; marine life surrounding the entire island; and ancient cultural sites to rival many others in Asia. Before 2018, millions of tourists had discovered
this perfect winter holiday destination, with Indians, Russians, Ukrainians and Brits top of the leaderboard. But then came a spate of tragic events – a terrorist attack, global pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – that all took their toll. Catastrophic
mismanagement of a fragile economy made things worse, and this spring, what had been fast-recovering post-pandemic tourist figures took a nosedive in the face of severe fuel and food shortages, power cuts, protests and curfews across the country. An essential-travel-only FCDO advisory scared many potential British visitors off, but now that these restrictions have been lifted, and with the launch of a committee established to reassure the world that the country has enough fuel, food and medicines to take care of tourists and locals – the country is hoping for a strong recovery. “The committee, made up of members of Thasl (The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka) and Slaito (Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators), will do its best to remind the world that the country has many authentic experiences, be it in wellness, nature, wildlife or hiking, and of course the beaches are just as inviting as they’ve always been,” says Shiromal Cooray, managing director of Jetwing Travels. A social media campaign, ‘Save the Sri Lankan Smile’ with the ²
travelweekly.co.uk 13 OCTOBER 2022
DESTINATIONS SRI LANKA | WINTER SUN
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